If you’re new to the Southwest, picking between the vast amount of Mexican restaurants available can be a daunting prospect. Not only are there several restaurants, there are several types of “Mexican” food. Mexican cuisine is prepared differently in each region where it is prepared. For example, most people have heard the term “Tex Mex” meaning Texas Mexican-the type of Mexican food prepared as they do in Texas. This is just one of many available forms of Mexican food in southwestern United States. In southern New Mexico alone there’s at least four other types of Mexican food available at local restaurants. To give newcomers a bit of context, I’ll give a description of some of the types of Mexican food with examples of restaurants from the southern New Mexico/Texas and northern Mexican border area.
“Gringo Mex”
As a general rule, restaurants serving nachos, thick dipping style sauces, orange or yellow cheeses, and the hard shell taco are not authentic Mexican restaurants. This is not to say that the food they serve is necessarily bad or not tasty. They are serving what Mexicans called American or gringo food. These types of restaurants are serving the US versions of Mexican meals, typically equipped with menus full of taco salads, quesidillas, fajitas, enchiladas, huevos rancheros, and other dishes. We’ll examine this type of food more thoroughly based on the states after which they are named. Let’s start with the most common, Tex Mex.
Tex Mex
Tex Mex is the most common type of Mexican food on the market in the US. It is also the term used by many people to refer to any type of Mexican food available outside of Mexico. This can be problematic because more authentic Mexican food restaurants are opening in various parts of world, not to mention that every restaurant labeled Tex Mex in this way does not prepare their menu in a similar fashion. Distinction is important, especially in the realm of cuisine.
A version of Tex Mex food can be found in almost every area of the States. Such chains as Taco Mayo, Bueno, Taco John’s, and Taco Bell are the standardized fast food examples of the Tex Mex tradition. Hard shell tacos, ground beef, sliced jalapenoes, refried beans, and thick chunky type salsas are staples of Tex Mex food. Most Tex Mex restaurants serve a queso dip, made of cheddar, Colby, nacho, or American cheese (or perhaps even a combination of cheeses) with spicy peppers, tomatoes, and onion mixed in for a bit of heat. They also have options of Mexican pizzas, taco salads, and nachos. All of these are not authentic Mexican cuisine options. You would have a hard time finding them in Mexico. Many Tex Mex restaurants will only serve flour tortillas as well, although it is becoming more common to have an option of either flour or corn tortillas with your meal at all types of Mexican restaurants.
Other Gringo Mex
Cali Mex, the California version of Mexican food, can be distinguished from other types of Mexican food through its use of vegetables usually not found in other “gringo mex” foods, such as whole kernel corn, mushrooms, and carrots. It also tends to be rather blandly spiced or not attached to the use of the spicy hot chile peppers. Another typical Cali Mex distinction is the use of both Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses in their food. They also tend to serve only flour tortillas. Garduno’s Chile Packing Company, a southwestern chain restaurant, is a good example of Cali Mex. On the Border, another chain, is also Cali Mex.
New Mex Mex, the New Mexican version of Gringo Mex, is noted for its use of fried eggs. Any restaurant where it’s an option to add a fried egg on top of you entree is bound to be a New Mex one. I have yet to see this practiced anywhere else. The use of green chilies is also a sign of New Mex food due to the large crops of green chilies raised each year in Southern New Mexico. Most New Mexican style restaurants will also offer a choice of either red or green chili sauce, some even at various levels of heat-mild to hot. Examples of New Mex Mex can be found all over New Mexico, parts of West Texas, and Eastern Arizona. Pete’s Hacienda, Kiva Patio Cafe, and Si Senor in Las Cruces, NM are considered New Mex Mex. La Posta in Mesilla, NM also fits the bill.
Authentic Mexican Food
Authentic Mexican food does include some items that you can find on the “gringo mex” menus-such as enchiladas, quesidillas, chile renellos, tamales, and tostadas-but there’s quite a differences in their wares. Again, various styles of Mexican food are available, usually based on region.
The most common authentic Mexican foods in the Southwest are from the areas of Mexico bordering the US. In the Texas/New Mexico area of the Southwest, various restaurants serving authentic Mexican food serve entrees mainly from the adjoining Mexican area–Chihuahua.
How To Tell If You’ve Found An Authentic Mexican Restaurant in Southern NM/TX
For one thing, if you can get a taco or burrito with your choice of five or six various meat fillings (carnes), then you are probably in an authentic Mexican restaurant. El Taco Mexicano in Las Cruces, NM is a good example of such a restaurant. Wonderful foods for the carnivores, but vegetarians have to stick to the quesidillas y frijoles (beans). Another good indication of an authentic Mexican restaurants is the availability of several types of salsas. Salsa (the word for sauce in Spanish) will cover a gamut of flavors, ingredients, and colors in authentic Mexican restaurants. Salsa verde, chipotle, juego, mexicano, and habanero are all styles of salsa that might be found at such a restaurant. Andele’s in Mesilla, NM has a nice selection of salsas available from their salsa bar, as well as slices of lime, onion, jalapeno, and a bowl of fresh cilantro.
The availability of menudo (soup made from tripe and hominy) or mole (a rich sauce created with chocolate, chilies, and spices) is usually a good indication that you are in an authentic Mexican restaurant, as few “gringo mex” restaurants will try serving these dishes. The use of nopales (cactus leaves) in the menu, an option of horchata (a cinnamon flavored rice milk drink), or pan dulce (sweet bread) can also be an authentic Mexican gauge. Chihuahuas, Las Compas, Roberto’s, and Mi Pueblito in Las Cruces serve authentic Mexican food items.
Another good indication you are eating an authentic Mexican meal is when the restaurant serves homemade fresh tortillas. Fresh tortillas are available at all authentic Mexican restaurants. Some of the better restaurants even make them by hand daily. Most places in the Southwest will create both flour and corn tortillas; however, corn tortillas are more common to this area.
This concludes Tacos and Burritos 101 for today. Now go on out there and find yourselves something tasty.
